By the time you read this, the 50th anniversary Canadian Coasters tour will have dipped their front wheels in the Pacific Ocean, and begun moving east across the nation.
A celebration of the original 1967 pan-Canada crossing, the event features around 100 cars, everything from a little English Morris to a couple of collector-plated buses.
The tour’s organizer, Fraser Field, leads the expedition at the helm of his 1969 Pontiac Ambulance, with coachwork by Superior. If you happened to attend the centennial celebration over at Lions Gate Hospital last year, you probably saw it parked up there on the lawn. Your best chance to catch the rest of the coaster is probably to make the scenic drive across to Merrit over the weekend (take 5A, it’s great), on Canada Day, where they’ll be having a July 1 shindig with the local car community.
The problem here is, of course, that first sentence: by the time you read this. At the request of a reader, this week’s column is about the North Shore and environs car shows that are coming up over the next few months. Rather than a look back at how great something was (as is usually the case), here’s a way for you to mark your calendar ahead of time, and maybe even bust out the car polish for your own machine.
First to mention is the twice monthly Cars and Coffee meets at the Canadian Tire down close to the foot of the Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrows Crossing. Dubbed Carbs and Coffee to set it apart (some wags have started referring to the meet as Car BS and Coffee), it’s a non-denominational, non-brand-specific meetup that’s wonderfully informal. As it runs between 7 and 10 a.m., it’s ideal for the family who’s got a busy Saturday lined up, and can only spare an hour or so. The next event is July 8, then July 22, and then a further two weeks in August – check their Facebook page (carbsncoffee) for an update on the rest of the summer and early fall.
Coming up rather quickly here and something I completely forgot about is the Greater Vancouver Motorsports Pioneers show down at Lonsdale Quay on July 2. Held in Shipbuilders’ Square, it’s a great way to get some insight into the sometimes hidden racing culture of Vancouver’s past. All these folks are past battlers at Westwood or the dragstrip, and you can see some of these machines take to the field at the August 19 and 20 weekend out at Mission Raceways.
For show car and hot rod fans, there’s Bob and Dan’s 20th annual car show, held at 1409 Charlotte Rd. off Mountain Highway, on July 15. For the past 20 years ... well, I’ve missed it. But it sounds like quite the shindig, with food trucks and live music. Runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and is the place to be if you like chrome and mile-deep paintwork.
To shift quickly to the exact opposite end of the spectrum, July 15 is also the date set for Electrafest 2017, an all-EV show held downtown at Concord Pacific Place (between Science World and BC Place). The Vancouver Electric Vehicle Association is a very active group, and this event is easily the largest EV gathering in the West. Rather uniquely, you’ll be able to test drive new electric machines at the show, and things also extend out to electric bikes and skateboards, and all manner of EV stuff. Oh, and there’s some unwritten rule that EV ownership means you have to have a license plate that reads NO OIL or OHMS or some other electrical joke, so it’s worth making the trip over if you enjoy bad puns, i.e., if you’re a dad.
Close by on the Sunshine Coast is the Sleepy Hollow Run, this year held over the August 11-13 weekend. The run features some 450 cars or so, rolling in an RCMP-escorted convoy from Hackett Park up to Halfmoon Bay at around 6:15 p.m. on the Friday. Basically a big rolling party, the thing to do here is camp out somewhere on the side of the road and tailgate. The locals tend to dress up in costumes and make signs. If you miss the cruise, there’s a massive show and shine in downtown Sechelt on the Saturday, perfect for wandering around, ice cream in hand.
Classicists will appreciate the local Jaguar XK register’s annual meet, which is combined with the classic MG club. Together, they gather at Waterfront to celebrate the love of bits falling off (falling off the cars, not the people). Held over the August 18 weekend, the main show event is on Saturday, the 19th, and features all sorts of classic British steel. It’s nearly 50, and is the largest Jaguar-MG show in North America. Think of it as a little All-British Field Meet in your own backyard.
A couple of weekends later, on August 27, there’s the Harbourside Show and Shine, held south of where the Auto Mall is. Expect plenty of hot rods and classic Fords, but all are welcome. It’s a good excuse to take a bike ride along the Spirit Trail instead of trying to find parking.
Rounding out the summer, though not yet with a set date, is the All Japanese Classic. Held last year on August 28, this event was nuts. Organizers hoped for 100 cars, expected 80, and got more than 200, crammed into Waterfront Park. Japanese collectibles are often oddballs in the classic car world, as compared to domestic V-8s or classic British and Italian stuff. Among other things that showed up last year was a 1960s Datsun Fairlady Sport, of which only 213 were ever made. And it’s sitting here in North Vancouver!
That’s a brief overview, and I’m sure I’ve missed a show or two. With my regular Braking News column, I’ll try to add in anything I’ve missed (shoot me an email if you’ve spotted a glaring oversight), and remind all of any upcoming events. Looks like it’s going to be a busy summer. I shall buy a large floppy hat.
Brendan McAleer is a freelance writer and automotive enthusiast. Contact him at [email protected]. Follow Brendan on Twitter: @brendan_mcaleer.
